Healing the Scars
by Alliesaurinauserous
Summary: Nazz and Kevin have a falling out, and Nazz goes to Double Dee for help. With Nazz's help, can Double Dee and and Kevin heal the scars they carry on their hearts? Slow moving Kevedd, rated M for mature themes.
1. Chapter 1 - The Fallout

**Hello! This is my first fanfiction ever, but i'm really into it and i'm hoping all you readers will be too. So, enjoy!**

* * *

The rain was pouring down hard outside, and all sports practices were moved inside. Elated, the cheerleading squad used the time they would be taking to get outside to stay in the locker room and gossip. The girls all formed a circle and a red haired girl jumped into the middle. "So, you guys will never guess what I did last night," she said excitedly, her cheeks growing a rosy pink under all her freckles. "Me and Kevin totally did it!" She squealed, all the other girls just giggled, before almost all of them said "Us too."

Kevin, the star athlete at Peach Creek High school, was never shy about how he did relationships. He didn't. He'd sleep with a girl and dump them, and had been that way since the beginning of high school. As a senior now, he'd basically hit up all of the dance team and the multitude of cheerleading squads.

Nazz, the captain of the cheerleading squad, and the best friend of the boy mentioned, spoke up. "Girls, let's not talk about your sexual experiences and go to practice instead," Nazz scoffed, picking up her pom-poms and strutting towards the door.  
"Hey, Nazz..." one of the girls laughed. "What have_ you_ done with Kevin?" She asked, arching a slim eyebrow. Nazz's steps slowed to a halt. She looked back at her team. Nazz flitted her eyes down to her feet, one of which was kicking at the floor softly. "That's none of your business." She mumbled, shooting an icy glare as she met the eyes of the girl. The girl obviously took the hint, and after giving an uncomfortable look back at Nazz, she turned around to face the inner part of the circle again. Annoyed, Nazz threw one of her pom-poms towards the group. "We DO have cheerleading still, you know." She growled. The girls grumbled as they grabbed the rest of their belongings and headed out to the gym to begin their practice.

Nazz ambled slowly over to her thrown pom-pom and picked it up, waiting until the last girl was out of the locker room to lean against the wall and sigh. "Kevin.." She mumbled. Her thoughts were interrupted by the pitter-patter of feet running towards the locker room. Quickly, she broke into a jog and ran to practice. There was always time to think about this stuff later.

* * *

Kevin always hated stormy days. He shifted his hand, his elbow resting on a desk to be able to hold his head up. On the days the football team couldn't go outside, they always sat in a crowded little room behind the gym and watched plays from their previous games on a big projector. Grumbling, he shifted his body again, unable to find a comfortable position to sit in. 'Too much damn testosterone,' he thought, losing interest in the video being projected.

"Hey, coach." He shouted, coaxing out a bunch of looks from his teammates. The coach glanced over to him, pausing the video. "Yes, Barr?" he asked, obviously annoyed. Kevin grinned, his perfectly white teeth showing. "I've gotta go pee, so.." He slipped out of his desk, inching towards the door and escaping before his coach could protest. This always happened whenever they had an inside practice, and the team knew not to expect Kevin back anytime soon.

"One, two, three, four!" Kevin heard, glancing over to see Nazz on top of a pyramid. He grinned. 'She looks great in that outfit.' He thought. 'Maybe i'll go visit th-' Kevin shook his head. He decided against it, seeing as he'd have to approach all those one night stands, er, girls. Grimacing, he broke into a sprint to get out of the gym before anybody could catch him. He walked through the hallway, wondering what he could do to kill some time. Something caught his eye, a student that was particularly well dressed, except for the boy's signature black ski hat.

"Hey, Double Dee!" Kevin shouted, stopping the other male in his tracks. "Oh, Hello, Kevin!" Edd nervously answered, spinning around and running off quickly. Kevin hadn't been particularly kind to Edd for most of their lives. Kevin never had anything against Edd, but bullied him because of the friends he had. Kevin still wasn't particularly nice to anyone but his teammates and the couple friends he spent time with outside of school. Biting his lip lightly, he shrugged it off and headed towards the library. There was a study session for his Biology II class that night, and he decided it wouldn't be a bad idea to get some tutoring in before the big test on Monday.

* * *

Nazz snuck out of her house and over to Kevin's. They were best friends, closer than anyone. They had grown into a routine, two nights a week, they would get together for the night and fool around. They weren't a couple, and this always bothered Nazz. It wasn't so much that she couldn't stand being just friends with Kevin, she was fine with that. She always wanted a type of intimacy that Kevin couldn't give, no matter how good he made her feel in bed. Nazz wanted to have a boyfriend, someone to dote on her. Not someone who would sleep with her and then act like it never happened the rest of the time they spent together. She was determined to break this.. whatever this was, off tonight.

"Hey, Kevin?" Nazz asked, blanket covering her naked body. She turned to make eye contact Kevin. He rested a hand on her hip, "Hmm?" He inquired, wondering what she was going to say. Moving his hand off of her, Nazz reached to the side of the bed to pull a tank top on. "I know we've been doing this for years, and I just don't want to do this anymore if you don't want to be a thing." Hopping off the bed and pulling on her pair of athletic shorts, she glanced back at him sadly. "I'm fine with being friends, Kevin. I love you, more than you could ever understand." She gulped down hard. "But if you don't want the baggage that comes with a relationship, I don't want to be your call girl anymore. Either we're friends, or we're a couple. No in between, friends with benefits crap." Her heart fell to her stomach. What was Kevin going to say? What if he didn't even want to be her friend if she didn't have this to offer him? The butterflies in her stomach were so bad, she felt like she could vomit.

Kevin stood up, clad only in his boxer shorts, and pulled Nazz into a big hug. "Yeah, I understand." he sighed, offering a slight chuckle to hopefully lighten her mood. He had seen this coming, and thought about it himself. He was okay with sleeping with other girls, he didn't care how they felt. Nazz? She was his best friend, someone he cared about more than anything. "I want you to find someone that will love you for all you have to offer, and i'm not that guy." He pulled her closer to him. They had had many times like these, not really sure where they stood in their relationship. "It's not you, it's me." he groaned, realizing how stupid and cliche he sounded. "Really, I mean.." he ran a hand through her short blonde hair, slightly darker than when they were kids. "I've never had a girlfriend, and I don't really ever want one. You're the most intimate i've ever been with a girl, considering I care about you more than anyone. I just don't really wanna date anyone." He sighed.

Nazz snuggled further into his arms, and Kevin held her until the morning sun peaked over the trees. After all, it would be the last time they'd be close like this again. When morning finally arrived, Nazz scooted her way out of Kevin's arms, and grinned at him. "You know, we're still gonna be best friends, and instead of fooling around, we can have movie nights instead!" She shouted, covering her mouth and giggling when she realized that Kevin's dad didn't know she was over. Kevin grinned, his bright green eyes shining in the morning light. "Yeah Nazz, let's do that." he laughed.

The room was cold, open window allowing the cool morning air to fill his room. It was the beginning of fall, the football season, and a new chapter with his best friend. 'Change can't be so bad..' he pondered, watching Nazz take her leave out of the window in his room. It was a Saturday morning, and it was finally time to get some sleep, Kevin decided, setting his head down on his pillow and closing his eyes. This whole thing with Nazz got him thinking. What was wrong with him? Could he even fall in love? Kevin shook the thoughts off, and retired to sleep. Or, at least, attempted.

* * *

Edd sat ask his desk, happily scribbling away at some equations for his AP calculus class. He was close to finishing, when his phone vibrated. Giving it but a slight glance, he went back to finishing his homework. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. He raised an eyebrow in irritation, and bit the inside of his cheek. Buzz. Buzz. "Ugh, WHAT!?" He shouted, getting up from his desk and walking to retrieve his phone. Never one to be phone savvy, he struggled with it until he could open up the messages.

[6 NEW MESSAGES. OPEN?]

Edd opened up to a screen with the new messages.

[From NAZZ: Hey, double dee? I know you're probably busy, but I really need to talk to someone.]

[From NAZZ: Hello? Dude, you there?]

[From NAZZ: Oh, come on. I KNOW you're there..]

[From NAZZ: Okay, fine, I'll go talk to someone who CARES!]

[From Nazz: Okay, I didn't mean that.. Sorry... I'll just go do something else. Txt me when you can, Okay?]

Edd gulped down. He had never seen his friend so distraught. He quickly pulled up the last message, and began his reply.

[From DOUBLE DEE: Nazz? Are you alright? I'm quite concerned. You can come over if you want, I happen to have just finished the last of my homework for the weekend.]

Edd scratched the back of his neck. What could she be acting up about? It didn't make sense. She was fine when he talked to her last. Shrugging it off, Edd stood up and walked down the stairs and into his kitchen. "What could I eat?" he pondered, and eventually decided on a carton of raspberries. He washed them out in the sink, carefully making sure every single raspberry was rinsed properly. Just as he popped the first one in his mouth, his doorbell rang. 'Could that be Nazz? Oooh, she never messaged me back!' He walked quickly towards the door, looking out the peephole to check for who it was. He opened the door and a pretty young blonde rushed in and pulled Edd into a big embrace. "Um, Nazz?" He tapped her shoulder. Sure, he had hugged Ed and Eddy hundreds of times, but he wasn't really used to, or comfortable with, hugs from other people. Nazz pulled away from him.

"Sorry Double Dee. I'm just kind of out of it today."


	2. Chapter 2 - The Plan

**So, I'm hoping to be able to update once a day or every two days. Thanks for reading! **

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"So, Nazz, What's going on? I've never seen you this upset." Edd asked, leading her towards the kitchen to begin making some tea. Nazz shifted uncomfortably. She sighed, leaning her head against Edd. Prolonged physical contact bothered Edd, but he let it pass. It was for a good friend, after all. "So, you know how I've had that big thing with Kevin since freshman year?" She asked, looking up from his shoulder and meeting his eyes. "Well, I gave him an ultimatum tonight. Either we stop fooling around and just be friends, or he has to make a commitment and become my boyfriend." She pulled off of Edd and leaned on the kitchen counter. "He said he didn't want to be a thing with me, and I guess I don't mind that so much." She shifted herself, standing up straight. Nazz did always have pretty lady-like posture. "I think what hurts is that, while I grew more attached, he couldn't care less, you know? Now it's back to watching movies and being friends again, and that's okay.. just.." She sighed. "I don't want anyone else going through this. He's scared of commitment, Dee. I just.." She ran her slender fingers through her bangs.

Edd hated to see one of his friends like this. How could Kevin have turned down someone as beautiful as Nazz? "Hey, Nazz?" Edd interrupted her. "Why would you think Kevin would be so afraid of commitment? I mean, you two have been the most likely couple for as long as I can remember. To think he'd reject you like that.." Scrunching his eyebrows in deep thought, he didn't notice Nazz pouring the water from the kettle into cups. Nazz grabbed a few tea bags and placed them in the cups, swishing them with the string a little before turning back to Edd. "You know Dee, I don't know..." She lost herself in thought before her eyes glistened. An idea, perhaps? "Double Dee, I have an idea!" She squealed, running up to him excitedly. "we can investigate! We can be like a detective team! Me and you!" She laughed. "But, you'll have to be in charge of talking to Kevin, I feel like things with me and him will be strained for a while..." She sighed, worried about how Kevin would treat Edd.

Taking a sip of his tea, a bit bitter from being steeped for too long, Edd sighed. "Well, I'm a teacher's assistant in the Biology II class that Kevin is enrolled in. I happened to overhear the class's plans to have a study session at the cafe out on cobbler street today. I believe Kevin told them he was going to join. We could go there," he offered with a smile. Although becoming friendly with his childhood tormentor wasn't exactly something he had ever looked forward to, he didn't mind making new friends, and he was doing it for Nazz. Ever since the summer before their freshman year, Edd had spent more and more time with Nazz, and Kevin had even came along a few times. Their friendship had peaked in their sophomore year, when Edd had come out to her before anybody else. She had been such a good friend and so supportive of him through his own personal struggles, he couldn't say no to her when she needed his help.

"What? Really?" Nazz asked, any hint of sadness completely washed away. Edd always wondered how she could bounce back from everything so quickly. Nazz downed the rest of her tea and grabbed Edd by the wrist. "Come on, Dee! Let's go! This is a great chance!" She exclaimed, pulling him towards the door. "Nazz, I have to grab my wallet and my keys!" Pulling his arm out of her grip, he ran upstairs quickly and snatched up the things he needed. He glanced down at his journal. He'd have a lot to write about when he got home tonight. "Oh, Nazz.." It was so unlike him to do things unplanned. He always made sure that Ed and Eddy would give him a week notice before they did anything together. The spontaneity of this was almost too much stress for him to handle.

Together they got in his vehicle, a champagne colored Prius, and drove to the Cafe. It was an awkward drive, just a few words shared between them discussing the game plan. They arrived at the cafe, Edd recognized some of the vehicles, and one particular cherry red motorcycle tipped him off that Kevin was for sure attending this study session. Worried, Edd swallowed down hard, pulling on the collar of his t-shirt. Why was he so nervous? Most of the people taking this class were intellectuals, much like himself. Not many people went the extra mile to take an advanced biology course and certainly not people like Kevin. Besides, this was a public coffee shop, he had the right to be here. Edd released the grip on his shirt and walked in. He glanced over to the group, noticing the signature red ball cap standing out in the crowd of heads.

Edd was relieved they hadn't noticed him yet, of course, why would they? He wasn't wearing the usual attire he wore to school, and he didn't have his hat on, so his shoulder length black hair fell straight down. He ordered his coffee, and walked over to Nazz who was sitting happily at a table with some gelato. Giving him nothing but a glance, Nazz shifted her sight towards Kevin as if she was commanding him with her eyes. The plan was to get Kevin one on one tutoring with Edd, which would be difficult if Kevin understood the coursework. For once in his life, Eddward hoped that someone was having difficulties learning. Nazz knew from talking to Kevin so much that he was not confident with this class. "I'm sure he'll go for it, then you just need to be friends with him and learn his secrets!" She had said earlier. If only it was that easy.

"Eddward!" The barista shouted, alerting the whole study group to his presence. Edd flushed pink with all the eyes on him, most of them shocked with his attire. Kevin hadn't seen him wearing casual clothing since middle school, Edd knew that for sure. He grabbed his coffee, and walked over to the table and took a seat. "M-my apologies for coming in uninvited. I happened to, um, overhear you all talk about a study session in class, and I, being as versed in biology as I am, figured I could come and offer my help if any of you needed it." He managed. Typically, he steered away from social situations such as this one, and it was obvious in the way he struggled through his words. Much to Edd's surprise, the group showered him with thanks. It seemed that many of them were having trouble with the coursework, including one particular redhead.

Kevin's bright green eyes locked with Edd's blue ones, both males looking away quickly. Both of them had aged really well, and while he was still thin, Edd was tall and had a good, slightly feminine, figure. Kevin had shot up, managing the same height as Edd at 6' 4" and was well built, still maintaining the slim figure he had had growing up. Kevin continued to work on his stuff as Edd took turns answering questions with the other students. Kevin glanced up a few times, looking Edd up and down. He really /did/ age well, didn't he? Kevin always made sure to look back to his work quickly though, to avoid being caught checking another male out. "K-Kevin?" He heard a meek voice say, looking up to find Edd right next to him. "What do you want?" Kevin replied, his face anything but friendly. Edd slunk away from him, obviously frightened. Kevin sighed. "Sorry, I guess i'm just having a lot of trouble with this. It's stressing me out."

Edd's eyes lit up. The plan was proceeding perfectly! "Oh, That's great! Um, I mean. that's okay, because i'd be willing to help you!" He shouted, a little too loudly for the calm atmosphere inside the coffee shop. Kevin looked at the other, hesitant to agree to one on one tutoring. "Um, sure I guess. Here, let me give you my phone number," mumbled Kevin, who was scribbling down his number on napkin with a stain from some spilt coffee in the corner. Kevin handed the napkin to Edd, who grabbed it reluctantly. "I'm heading out. Text me later so I have your number." He said under his breath, not exactly excited to spend time with one of the biggest nerds in the school. It wasn't so much that he didn't like Edd, but he had a reputation to uphold. He exited the shop, and on the walk back to his car, he stopped to look in the windows. "He really is cute.." Kevin mumbled, glancing at Edd, who had his gap tooth smile on as he taught. Edd, with almost perfect, looked out the window to catch Kevin staring in. Edd waved, and Kevin waved back.

"He's just too cute." Kevin laughed, quickly looking around. He walked to his motorcycle, not noticing Nazz, who was hiding behind a bush near him. Quickly, he mounted his bike and rode off, appearing to be in quite the hurry. Once he was out of sight, Nazz stepped out of her hiding place. Did she just see what she think she saw? Could Kevin be gay? She shook her head. He was probably just reacting to how Double Dee looked! It wasn't often he didn't have his hat, and he never dressed casually in public anymore. Yeah, that had to be it. She ran into the coffee shop again. "Hey, Edd, we should probably head home." She said, pulling out her phone and showing him the time. "Oh, goodness, Nazz. I'll barely have time to write in my journal or feed my ants!" He exclaimed, quickly apologizing to the people he hadn't helped yet, and taking his leave. As they both got in the car and buckled themselves in, Edd could hear Nazz giggling quietly. "What's so funny?" he asked, and Nazz grinned at him, her eyes wet from her laughter. "It's only 7:30. You're definitely not the typical teenager, Dee." Edd huffed. "I would think that's quite obvious, Nazz, dear."

After dropping Nazz off, Edd was happy to finally be home. He walked slowly into his house, glancing up to the pink clouds. Sunsets in fall really were the best, he decided. He slipped in the back door, took off his shoes, and ran up to his room. He grabbed his phone from where he had left it, at the foot of his perfectly made bed, and pulled the coffee stained napkin out of his pocket. He didn't want to take it because of how unsanitary it was to have someone else's stain in your pocket, but he was happy he did. There was something about a perfect male specimen such as Kevin giving him his number that was just enthralling. He put the number in his phone and sent a text.

[To KEVIN: Salutations!]

Something about being able to text Kevin made his heart flutter.


	3. Chapter 3 - Breaking the Ice

Kevin glanced to his alarm clock. nine- thirty. Had it really only been 2 hours? It felt like so much longer. He looked down at his notebook, some notes copied messily out of his textbook. He put his head down on his desk, and pulled his hat off. His red hair was short, sans the bit in the front he had always kept long. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and sat up to look at it. He checked his texts, 3 from Nazz, 4 from Rolf, a few from some of his teammates, and one from an unknown number. He checked it.

[ From UNKNOWN : Salutations!]

It had to be Edd. He went to answering all the rest of his texts, plans for a party from Nazz, Rolf requesting to play basketball tomorrow, and his teammates informing him that practice on Monday was going to be cancelled because coach's kids were sick. Choice. He turned back to Edd's text. He wasn't sure how to respond, he didn't really care for the way Edd always seemed to flaunt his intelligence.

[To UNKNOWN: Yo this is the dork, rite?]

He sweat a little. How could someone as awkward as Edd make him feel like this?

After a half hour of no response from Edd, Kevin assumed that he was sleeping. Sure that Edd would respond early in the morning, Kevin turned back to his textbook and notebook. He better get a good amount of studying in, after all, he didn't want to look like an idiot to one of the smartest kids he knew.

Kevin woke up laying on his notes, which got messier as the writing got further down the page. He couldn't help but notice they they were covered in water damage from his drool. "Oops.." He mumbled, sitting up and lazily glancing around his room. Eventually he glanced at the time. Six in the morning? Why did he wake up this early? Glancing towards his phone, it hit him. Edd had sent him a text, and the ring tone must have woken him up. He checked the text, which brought a smile to his face.

[ From UNKNOWN: I do happen to be this 'dork' you so speak of. If you would be willing to address me in a more respectful manner, I would appreciate it.]

Kevin chuckled, and quickly typed his response after saving Edd as a contact.

[ To DOUBLE DWEEB: Whatevr. When do u think u could hlp me? This stuff is hrd.]

Quickly, the response came.

[ From DOUBLE DWEEB: Your grammar is terrible. I can't do anything today, I have plans with Ed and Eddy, however, I'm completely free tomorrow after school.]

[To DOUBLE DWEEB: Ok, that works gr8.]

Kevin paused. Was that it? The conversation ended there? No, he decided. He was going to continue this conversation, no matter how painfully awkward it would be. Something about talking to Edd privately like this was just enthralling, and he didn't want it to end.

He quickly typed up another text.

[ To DOUBLE DWEEB: So y dont u wear your hair down more?]

That was sure to get a reply.

[ From DOUBLE DWEEB: … Why do you wish to know?]

[To DOUBLE DWEEB: Cuz it looks real good.]

Edd sat on his bed, his freshly washed hair dripping down into his back. What had gotten into Kevin? Why was he even up this early? He got up from his bed, and texted Eddy to find out what time they would be coming over. Edd, surprised by how early they intended to come, rushed downstairs to prepare breakfast. The waffle maker was heating up, and a glass of juice was poured. He pulled out plenty of fresh fruit and washed them. When he finally had his whole breakfast together, he sat down on the table where the first sticky note of the day awaited him. _Remember to dust today! - Love, Mom._

He took a sip of his juice, and swallowed with a sigh. He couldn't remember the last time he had spent more than 10 minutes with either of his parents. They were always gone, on a business trip, on a vacation, they were probably on their 20th honeymoon by now. They really only paid any attention to Edd when report cards came home. Edd chuckled when he remembered his most recent birthday. No happy birthday, no apologies for not being home, just a list of chores left on a little yellow sticky note on his desk. Edd felt his eyes getting wet, holding back tears. Fortunately, his thoughts were interrupted by incessant knocking on his door. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve before going to open it.

Before he knew it, Edd was trampled by an over excited Ed. Ed held his friend tight - a little too tight - in an embrace. "Double Dee, We missed you!" Ed shouted loudly, his breath smelling a bit like gravy and whatever protein he had eaten that day. "Thank you Ed, but it would be wonderful if you would release me!" Ed obliged, offering a lip quiver. The youngest of the trio walked in behind them, hands stuffed into his pockets. "Lumpy, Sockhead, stop making out, will you?" He said, his voice just a little too loud.

Edd sighed with relief. He hadn't seen his friends in about a week, and with the new stress with Kevin and Nazz, he needed to be able to calm down with his friends. Oh goodness, Kevin! He had forgotten to text him back!

[ To KEVIN: Oh my goodness, my sincerest apologies! I completely forgot to text you back!]

Edd sent a quick reply to Kevin, hoping the other male wouldn't be soon to text back. As the trio settled in for their first movie, Edd's phone buzzed in his pocket.

[ From KEVIN: Thts cool but u still didnt ansr my question...]

Edd let his eyes wander from a screen, thinking of a way to answer Kevin's question, which prompted a comment from Eddy. "Hey, Double Dee, What's gotten into you? You're usually glued to the TV whenever we watch movies." Eddy's observational skills shocked Edd, but he simply shrugged it off. "Oh, nothing Eddy! When I did my weekly ant census this morning, two ants had gone missing! I've been wondering all morning where they could have gone," Edd replied with an answer good enough to satisfy his shortest comrade. Being friends with Eddy helped Edd learn to think quick on his feet, and he had no troubles stretching the truth in his favor when it was needed.

Edd looked back at his phone.

[ To KEVIN: That's highly personal. Why don't you wear your hat less?]

To Edd's surprise, the next text came before he even had the chance to turn his phone's screen off.

[ From KEVIN: Cuz im frikkin sexy with my hat, thts y.]

Edd grinned. He couldn't really disagree with Kevin, though he'd never admit that out loud. His thoughts were interrupted by his friends.

He was happy. With Ed and Eddy, he really felt like he was at home, and even though he was harsh to them, he loved them dearly. They were the family he never had, and Edd was eternally grateful to them. They continued to laugh and joke around, until Ed interrupted a movie by shouting. "Sarah says I have to be home right now, so I gotta go!" He sat up and quickly ran out of Edd's house, shocking both of the remaining boys. Edd couldn't help but mumble "Well, that's unfortunate." and laugh at the expression on Eddy's face. After conversations about new scams they could do, which were really much less like scams and more like actual business endeavors, Eddy also took his leave. "I'll text you tonight!" shouted Eddy as he bolted across the cul-de-sac to his own house.

Edd took this time to turn to his phone.

[ To KEVIN: How about a proposition, then?]

Kevin responded quickly, which was no surprise to Edd.

[ From KEVIN: sure whts that]

Edd grinned. For someone who was so above average in looks, Kevin was not the brightest bulb.

[ To KEVIN: You don't wear your hat tomorrow when I tutor you, and I won't wear mine. ]

[ From KEVIN: Choice. C u rite after school then.]

Another text came in quick succession.

[ From KEVIN: Dork. ]

Something about that name seemed so... benign. It might have just been in his head, but Edd could feel that the ice had been broken. Tomorrow would be an adventure for sure.


	4. Chapter 4 - What We've Become

**Hello! I'm happy to see I have a few people following. Sorry I haven't been able to update as often as I thought I would, work and family have me pretty busy! I'm still going to try to update as often as I can, and I hope you like this chapter. Thank you for reading.**

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Edd woke up early in the morning, and made sure he had ample time to do all the things he needed. He had a large breakfast, added some finishing touches to an essay, and did some of the chores his parents had left him on a sticky note before finally deciding to head off to school. He met Ed and Eddy out in the middle out of the cul-de-sac, where they began the walk to school.

The day went by quickly, as they always did. Edd loved school, and he loved all his classes. He was in advanced classes, and only had to deal with people at his level. He didn't have much drama for that reason. Outside of classes, however, school was a nightmare. He was mocked in the halls, jocks always ran into him or pushed him over. It made him so upset, and he never ate lunch at school. He always ate at a small diner not far off the school grounds with Ed and Eddy, and it cut down the bullying immensely compared to when he ate at school. He never knew why he was such a target, other nerds like himself never reported such bullying. It was one of the many things he struggled with every day, and it was something he knew was inescapable. He had grown used to it, and had learned how to take quite the beating.

The opposite was true for Kevin. He struggled in most classes, but thrived socially at school. He was funny, attractive, a star athlete, and he was always collected. He was someone who always had friends, someone who never needed to worry about eating alone or being picked on, and nobody dared to confront him, because he was at the top of the high school hierarchy and could destroy anyone's reputation he wanted.

Kevin and Edd shared the same last hour, biology II, although Edd was the teacher's assistant. Kevin was the only jock he knew who took any advanced classes. He was different from his teammates in that he didn't want to just ride on his athleticism for his future. He kept his grades up to the best of his ability, maintaining a B average. He struggled, and he never let anybody know that he kept his grades up. He didn't understand why, but it just wasn't the cool thing to do, and the last thing he wanted to lose was his reputation.

As the last bell of the day rang, Kevin quickly got out of his seat and headed out the door. He was the tallest in the class, with the exception of Edd who stood at his height, and definitely the most muscular, so it was easy for him to push his way out first. Kevin avoided Edd, because he hoped to have a little longer to study by himself.

A few of Kevin's football teammates confronted him. "So, since there's no practice tonight, what do you say we go to my house and party?" a blonde boy mentioned. "The whole team's gonna be there." Kevin looked at them and gave them a sympathetic look. "Look, guys, I can't." He huffed. He never really like his football teammates. They were rude, loud, and a bit too rowdy for his liking. He always preferred the baseball team, but they never really spent time together outside of the baseball season. "Ahha, real funny, QB. " They laughed, one of them slapping him on his shoulder. He glared back, and pulled his hat off to stuff it in his backpack. " I told you, I can't go. That's that. You guys can party without me, you know." He said, sighing. His teammates gave a look of disappointment. "Come on, Kev. Why can't you?" Kevin stiffened up, not sure how to answer. He didn't want them to know that he was getting tutored. "I, uh, I have a date, with a girl from Pear Valley. Her name's.. uh, Amber." He chuckled, giving the group of boys his signature grin.

A few of the guys grinned back. "Dude, isn't that like, your first girlfriend?" Kevin shook his head. "Just a date! Nothing more, guys. I don't go steady. It's not my thing." He answered, finally shutting his locker. "Maybe i'll catch the party after i'm done." He said, walking towards the exit of the school. The boys always admired him for never getting into a serious relationship. They were probably jealous of his ability to sleep with whoever he wanted and not have to commit. Kevin chuckled, climbing onto his motorcycle and revving it up. It was strange, having people jealous of his inability to commit himself to anyone. His mind flashed back to Nazz. As bad as he felt, and as much as he loved her, he couldn't imagine himself with her. He couldn't imagine himself with anyone, really. Ever since he was a child, he never imagined his future with a significant other.

Kevin's thoughts were cut off when he noticed the 3 Eds walking home. He had always hated Eddy, and bared with Ed and Edd. As they got into highschool, the Ed's slowly dropped off his radar. He hadn't spoken to any of them since freshman year, when the entire cul-de-sac ( with the exception of Sarah and Jimmy, who were still in middle school) decided to attend the prom in a big group. Eddy had become quite the charmer, and had a pretty large amount of money saved away from when his "scams" started becoming successful. Ed was the same as always, skimming by in his classes. He had a job at a toy store and was able to collect whatever superhero memorabilia he wished to have. Edd had really blossomed in high school. He was the top of his class, he had gotten a student of the month award for volunteering every single month of his high school career. Edd took a few of his classes at the local community college in the morning, and returned to school for a music composition class and then finally being a teacher's assistant in Kevin's class.

Kevin would never admit it, but he really admired Edd. Edd could be who he wanted to be and not be afraid of what others thought of him. He slowed his motorcycle down as he approached them, coming to a halt right in front of them. He put his foot down on the ground and leaned to his right. "Hey, Eds." He looked each one of them up and down. "Don't any of you drive? I don't get why you walk every day." He said, giving them a quizzical look. Eddy scoffed. "I don't think we need to answer to people like you, shovelchin." The comment unfazed Kevin, which came to a surprise to the trio. Edd spoke up, clearing his throat before he did so. "Um, I drive, as do Ed and Eddy, but we prefer to walk because we don't often have the chance to be in one another's company. With Eddy's entrepreneurship, Ed working, and me keeping up on all of my college work and volunteering, we can't really hang out like we did as children." Edd played with his hands, one scraping away at the cuticles on his other hand.

Kevin looked each of them up and down again, before letting out a "Hmmp." and revving his motorcycle up and driving away.

The Eds all glanced at each other. "What the hell was that about!?" Eddy roared, his already pink skin red with anger. "I bet he just wanted some gravy, Eddy!" Ed shouted, taking the other two into a big embrace. They had all gotten used to Ed's hugs by now, and they knew not to struggle out of them, for fear of being held even tighter. Ed let them down, and they began bickering about Kevin's intentions on the way home, Eddy automatically assuming they were malicious, and Edd disagreeing. "Sockhead, He never even says anything to us! Why would he stop and talk to us if he wasn't planning anything!" Eddy shouted, being met with a rather angry gaze from his intellectual friend. "Eddy, He simply saw us on his way home and asked us why we don't drive. I would wonder too, if I wasn't one of us. Most other high schoolers do drive to school." Edd retorted, with enough energy behind his voice to shut Eddy up. The rest of the walk home was quiet, except for Ed telling them about his day and how work was recently, which always made Edd smile. When they got to the cul-de-sac, they all went their separate ways.

Edd entered his house and quickly took off his shoes, placing them neatly in the shoe rack next to the door. He stepped into his kitchen and pulled out his cell phone, leaning back on the kitchen counter.

[ To KEVIN: Hello, Kevin. I am now home, and you are welcome to come over at any time tonight.]

Kevin heard his phone buzz, and finished the notes he had been taking before going to grab it. "Looks like I'm going over there now.." He huffed, obviously nervous. He pulled his hat off his head, and stared at it for a while before he set in on his bed. 'Our deal, or whatever... I wonder if he'll really follow through with it..' he thought, stuffing his notes and textbook in his bag. He slung it over his shoulder and trotted confidently out the door. The chill stopped him in his tracks, and he glanced up to the sky, watching as the patchy clouds glided through the sky. He took a deep breath of the cool fall air, and walked on towards Edd's house.

Kevin stopped at the foot of his neighbor's door. Memories flowed in from their childhood, and a sense of nostalgia filled him. All the times he came here to borrow tools when his had broken, all the pranks, all the pranks and scams and times they had as children. A small chuckle escaped him, and he knocked on the door gently. It surprised him when Edd opened the door so quickly. ,Edd was now changed out of his school clothes and into a pair of blue jeans and a white T-shirt, and his black hair draped down his neck and touched his shoulders.

He hadn't forgotten.


	5. Chapter 5 - Let's study!

**Hello! I apologize for how long this chapter took. I've been really busy lately, and really will be these next two weeks. To make up for how short this chapter was i'll make the next one longer than I usually do. I'll keep trying to update as often as I can. Here's chapter 5! I hope you all enjoy! You can hit me up on tumblr, alliesaurshaye. Thank you!**

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Edd took a big breath, and welcomed the other male into the house. "We can study wherever you're comfortable. I'm making some fish, so you're welcome to eat here." Edd mentioned, his hands trembling slightly. Kevin gave him a look. "You're allowed to just invite people over to eat? Don't you have to ask the rents or anything?" Edd looked towards the other and sighed loudly. "You know, Kevin, some of us don't have the luxury of having parents around." he remarked to the other, before turning into the kitchen to check on the oven. Kevin followed behind him slowly, not quite sure how to react. Edd turned back to Kevin. "So, Kevin, there's some stuff I've been meaning to ask you."

Kevin's ears perked up. "Um, shoot, I guess." he said, looked at the other, intrigued. Blue eyes met green ones and they locked for a few seconds. "Why are you even in a biology II class, and an honors one at that? If I remember correctly, you always just passed everything. Why take an advanced course on something you care nothing about?" In the silence of the room, exhales echoed through the house like a song. Edd had made a big mistake assuming. One never just assumed something about Kevin.

Kevin hated school, studying, and thinking, really. He was animalistic. He indulged in alcohol, drugs. He enjoyed sports, adrenaline, and sex. Oh, he especially loved sex. Sex was his favorite thing, aside from a nice warm fireplace. Fireplaces would always come in first. Although he lived mostly on instinct, and followed his desires, he also had foresight that the others in his clique did not. "I will not simply ride on my athleticism to get into college." He huffed out. Green daggers shot at Edd. "In fact, I /can't/ ride it there. All the colleges I want to go to won't take that shit. You have to have at least a 3.0 in order to get into most of them, and that's why i'm pushing myself. I'm sure you're no stranger to that concept, Mr. I'm-too-good-for-high-school-so-I-take-my-classes- at-a-college!"

Edd's soft eyes calmed Kevin's daggers. Kevin hadn't realized it, but he had raised his voice so loud, he was practically screaming in this poor other male's face. He cleared his throat. "I-I'm sorry, shit. I mean, I didn't mean to yell at you.. I just.." His shoulders slunk. That overly confident stance he always had fell. He was starting to crumble, and in front of someone he barely knew. Oh well, he figured. Sure, Edd was never a close friend of his, but he had known him well enough in their childhood and through other people to understand that Edd was someone that could be confided in. Kevin pulled out a chair and quickly sat down, leaning on the table with his head in his hands. He released an exasperated sigh. "Listen, dork. I'm not smart. I'm not naturally talented. No matter how fucking much I would rather be drinking with my buddies, I can't, because I have to study." He huffed.

Edd walked over to the other, and simply offered a smile. "My apologies. I didn't ask my question to be rude, I simply wondered why someone who was so disinterested in education for as long as I remember was challenging himself. It is heartwarming, really." Edd patted the other on the shoulder. That was what men did to one another for comfort, yes? Edd had hugged his two best friends many times over, but such an intimate form of affection wouldn't be correct for someone he knew so little of. "No need to fret, Kevin. I did intend for you to come over so I could tutor you. If you want, we could make it a daily thing. I could help you in more than just your biology class too!" Edd exclaimed. Kevin looked up at Edd, a small grin twitched on his lips. "If it doesn't like, trouble you or nothin', that would be pretty choice." Choice? Such a peculiar word.

Edd quickly strutted over to the oven, and pulled out the fish. Kevin's nose caught the scent immediately. "That smells damn good, dude. You cook?" He asked, his calm stature returned. Edd nodded. "My parents weren't home much at all, so I had to learn young." He said, a slight frown forming on his face. "What about you? Can you cook?" He asked back, sprinkling some seasoning onto the baked fish. "I can, actually!" Kevin laughed. His tone was opposite of how it had been before. He and Nazz really could make a perfect couple, they both bounce back from things like they never happened. "My family doesn't exactly cook super healthy so I usually have to cook my own meals. Fish is one of my favorite things." He chuckled. They both made eye contact, but this time, they didn't pull away quickly. Kevin laughed nervously, breaking contact to pull some of his notes out. "So, shall we get to studying then?" and that's what they did.

After about a half hour of studying they finally got to eating dinner. It was awkward, and quiet. "So, Kevin." Edd broke the silence. Kevin looked up with an eager look on his face. He really was an attractive man, almost unbelieveable. He was so expressive for somebody who prided himself on his manliness. Edd brought a fork full of fish to his mouth, and waited to swallow to begin talking. "You're quite the athlete, correct?" He asked, his eyes flicking between his meal and his quest. Kevin nodded. "Football, Basketball, Baseball, and Track." Edd's eyes widened. "Is there anything you like to do outside of sports?" he asked, hoping they might have something in common. Nazz really owed him one.

"I play the sax. I'm in a band, too. Although, we barely ever practice and we've never had a gig." He laughed. "No way!" Edd responded. "I play the piano, and I learned the organ too!" It wasn't much, but they both played instruments, and that was something, right? Although not much more was said, Edd felt a sense of content come over him. Maybe this whole getting to be friends with Kevin thing wouldn't be as difficult as he thought. They got back to studying, and the time flew by. The grandfather clock in Edd's house struck 9pm, and "amazing grace" chimed through the whole house. "Looks like I should start getting ready for bed, I hope you learned something today." Edd said giving the other a smile. Kevin quickly packed his stuff up. It was 9 already? Time went so quickly. As Kevin opened the door to leave, he turned back to Edd. "So, we can do this again, right?" Edd nodded, and Kevin's signature grin lit up his face. "Choice. I'll um, I'll text you. Cool." He said, the darkness of the outside covering up the tint of red on his cheeks, before slipping out the door.

Edd, instead of getting his pajamas on or getting his outfit for tomorrow ready, walked into the family room (which he always found to be ironically named, considering his lack of a true family.) and stared at the beautiful grand piano. He sat down on the bench, covered in shiny black leather and placed his hands on the keys.

Maybe he'd start playing again.


	6. Chapter 6 - Struggles

**Hello! Sorry it's taken so long, I've had a lot of family stuff to deal with this week. This chapter is longer, as promised. Anyway, please enjoy!**

**Also : Trigger warning, there's no detailed descriptions but there is strong mention of self harm in this chapter.**

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Edd played a quick piece, something he finished in just a few minutes. As he finished, he glanced down at his his hands, which were trembling slightly. His parents had always showed pride in his playing, the only thing they ever had been proud in him for besides his grades. Why did he ever stop playing? He rubbed his thumb on one of the ivory colored keys. He quickly got up from the piano bench and brushed his hands on his pants. He began the walk through the house to his bedroom, and shut off all the lights on the way. When he got to his room, he quickly pulled his shirt off, hands brushing against little white scars on his stomach. He avoided his mirror, and quickly slipped on a t-shirt and some pajama pants. He glanced down at his arms, new scabs forming from recently created cuts. He brushed his slim fingers over them, and gulped down hard. He shivered, as a breeze of cool fall air blew in from his open window. He jumped on his bed and pulled his blanket on over his shoulders. He pulled out his phone, and stared at his contacts. He texted Eddy quickly.

[ To Eddy: Salutations, Eddy. I'm going to have trouble sleeping tonight, and was wondering if you would be willing to come over. ]

Edd laid down, resting his head on his pillow. He had nights like these occasionally, and Eddy always came over, no matter what time of night it was. He was a good friend, someone he had really grown even closer to since his childhood. Edd sat up, his phone chimed.

[ From Eddy: Um, yeah dude. Ill head over rite away. Nything wrong? ]

Edd bit the inside of his cheek. He always felt terrible about asking Eddy to come over so late. He typically stayed the night , and because he stayed up with Edd, he never got any sleep himself. Edd always knew the importance of a good nights rest, and sincerely appreciated that his friend was willing to give up sleep for him. Edd stood up from his bed, and pulled a sweater on. Sweaters, long sleeves. It had been years since he wore anything that showed his arms.

Ever since he hit puberty, the absence of his parents really hurt him. He dealt with his problems better as a child, because all he had to do was spend time with his friends and everything was better. A jawbreaker, a movie, something so simple always made him so happy. Once high school came into the picture, school was more stress, the harassment got even worse, and Edd struggled with dealing with it all alone. He hid his sexuality from his friends, and dealt with the shame and fear all alone. He came out to Nazz as a sophomore, and he eventually came out to everyone the summer before his junior year. Peach creek was a very conservative area, and the children attending his high school certainly let him know that his feelings were sins. Once the bullies had something tangible to hurt him with, they took it and ran with it. Sure, they harassed him for being smart, but who was ashamed of intelligence and work ethic? That was something he prided himself in, something his parents were proud of him for. No amount of bullying would discourage him from his studies. His sexuality was something he wasn't confident in, and although Ed, Eddy and Nazz were incredibly supportive, the amount of negative attention it brought to him was too overwhelming.

Something that year just became too much for him to take. No amount of piano, studying, or hanging out with his friends could lift the pain. With no parents to help with getting therapy, he tried different ways to make himself feel better. He tried drinking, and it certainly was not his thing. He tried just secluding himself from everyone, and that just made him feel worse. One instance, Edd was invited to a sleepover with Nazz and a few of her friends. He attended, and they talked about how one of her friends had a self injury problem. It had all seemed so silly, so ridiculous that a person would intentionally injure themselves. If you were already hurting inside, why would you want to hurt outside? It was so curious.

It was a few weeks later when he tried it himself for the first time. It did nothing for him. Just a simple, "Oh goodness, what in the world was I thinking?" and he went to sleep for the night. It was a peculiar feeling when, the next day, he figured he'd try again. Maybe he didn't cut deep enough, hard enough. Maybe there was some secret to this whole thing.

By the time he figured out the "secret", cutting was a habit he found much too hard to break. It was like clockwork, every night before bed. Eat dinner, take a shower, water his cactus, and feed his ants. Then he'd lay down in bed, and cut out any bad experiences he had that day. It went from something silly, to being something he needed to do, something he couldn't escape. The only person that noticed when he stopped wearing sleeveless shirts was Eddy. Eddy never mentioned it, until a trip they took to Eddy's cabin and Edd refused to swim. Eddy found some excuse to get Ed away and pulled Edd into one of the rooms. "What the hell, dude!?" Eddy had confronted him. "Why the hell don't you ever wear t-shirts anymore? Now you're not going swimming with us? You loved tubing when we came here last year. What's up?" Edd never knew how, but Eddy always picked up on what was happening with him. Eddy was the first person who found out about his cutting, the only person, and the person he always turned to when he needed comfort.

The sound of a kettle whistling brought Edd out of his daze, and he wandered into his kitchen to pour himself some water. Chamomile tea steeped and Edd made a mug of hot chocolate for the friend that was sure making his way over. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out expecting it to be a text from Eddy.

[ From KEVIN: Hey, dude. Just wanna let u no that what ur doing 4 me is really gr8. Im rly thankful. (: ]

Edd's heart starting beating a little bit faster. Kevin? Why was he up so late? Why, it was 11pm, and on a school night!

[ To KEVIN: I'm always willing to help anyone on a quest of knowledge. Might I inquire why you're up so late? It's nearing midnight.]

Kevin was surprised to have Edd get back to him so quickly. Hadn't he gone to bed? He texted Edd back with one hand with a beer in his other hand. Kevin was never one for feelings, and alcohol did a mighty fine job at making them go away.

[ To DOUBLE DWEEB: Some of the guys from the football team r havin a party. I decided I would stop by for a while, have a few drinks, u know. Y r u up so late then?]

One of the women at the party, a girl Kevin assumed was on Nazz's cheerleading squad, came and sat next to him. They flirted and drank, and kevin figured he'd take her home for the night. Kevin glanced down at his phone, and he grinned when an idea came to him. He got up from the girl, who was left sitting by herself looking incredibly insulted. It was hard for Kevin to keep from laughing. He ran to find Nazz, and grabbed onto her arm. "Hey, Nazz?" he asked. She avoided his gaze for a moment, trying to regain her composure. As much as she didn't want things to change between her and kevin, they had, at least for the time being. She still could spend time with him, it was just harder to begin a conversation than before. "Hey, Kev! I didn't think you were gonna show up!" she laughed loudly, obviously intoxicated. He chuckled, and pulled her into a hug with one arm. "Edd tutored me today, and man, he's actually pretty neat. I mean, we didn't talk much, but he really doesn't deserve all the shit people give him. Anyway, you're friends with him, right? I was thinking that maybe.." He cut off, her bright eyes staring straight into him. "Um, do you wanna take a picture together? I'm sure he'd be happy to see you're here." He laughed. Sure, Edd was up, and it was neat because Edd had always gone to bed at a ridiculously early time, but why? Why was Edd up? For someone who was so schedule oriented to be awake near midnight on a school night, something had to be up. Sure, he didn't know him well, but Kevin figured he could offer something to cheer him up.

The two took the picture and sent it to Edd along with a text.

[ To DOUBLE DWEEB: Hey from nazz and me! Cheer up, would ya? (: ]

Edd felt his phone vibrate. He put down his cup of tea and pulled it out. Eddy had come over, and they hadn't really talked about anything yet. They just starting watching some show about puppies and kittens growing up and had some simple conversations about their classes and how Ed was doing. Eddy was always concerned about Edd. The smile on his face was never without sad eyes. Eddy couldn't remember the last time he didn't want to just pull Edd into a hug because of how damn sad he looked all the time. Edd pulled out his phone, and Eddy couldn't help but watch him. A smile. Edd looked happy. Really happy.

"Hey, Double Dee?" Eddy asked, his eyebrow raised. Edd looked back in response. "Who're you texting?" Edd bit his lip. He couldn't tell Eddy that he was talking to Kevin, even after all this time the two still hated each other to no end. "I'm texting Nazz. She's at a party with Kevin and they sent me a picture. They're idiots, sure, but it's still a nice gesture." Edd laughed, the gap in his teeth showing proudly. Eddy nodded. He always had a thing for Nazz, even now. She was the prettiest girl at school, and he was lucky to have gotten to hang out with her when he did. She was steps above him, but she was always so kind. Even to someone like Edd, who was at an even lower social standing than him.

The two boys had a conversation about girls, and boys, surprisingly. Eddy had taken Edd's coming out much better than expected, and was even one to point out a guy Edd would look good with. As much as Eddy was happy that Nazz had cheered Edd up, Eddy still wanted to talk about the problem. "Hey, Sockhead? How have you been doing lately? You haven't had any marks on you recently. Is the bullying letting up or are you just getting better at putting on makeup?" Eddy grinned a little, but it quickly faded when he watched the smile on Edd's face fade. Sure, these conversations here hard to have, and they were sad, but it was something that had to be faced. Edd didn't talk about this stuff to anyone else, and it was his job to make sure Edd could vent.

Edd looked towards his short friend with heavy eyes, glossy from a lack of sleep. "I've gotten better at changing my routes to classes daily. That way they can't ambush me."He said, actually sounding a bit proud. Eddy grinned, and his eyes flit to the sleeves of Edd's sweater. "How about the cutting? Has it gotten any better? Worse? Does anybody else but me know about it?" Eddy questioned. The wind picked up outside and blew a cold breeze into the house, and Edd couldn't help but shiver. "It's gotten a little bit worse. I mean, I don't do it any more than I used to, but it seems like it's harder to treat so I must be doing it deeper or something. I'm so terrible, Eddy." Edd responded, his voice shaking. Eddy pulled his friend into a hug. "You're not terrible! Sure, you're a little weird, and sure, you're a little different." He pulled away from his friend and looked Edd in the eyes, his hands on the other's shoulders. "That's what makes you awesome! Other people can see it too. So don't let things other people say get you down. You're you, and you.. is good." Eddy said, his grin so wide that Edd couldn't help but smile himself. Edd rubbed his arm, the fresh cuts underneath his sleeves seemed to sting more than ever. "Thanks, Eddy. It means a lot." He said, and he quickly stood up.

Eddy downed the last of his hot chocolate, which wasn't really hot anymore, and grabbed the blanket that was draped over the couch. "I think i'm gonna head to sleep." Eddy pulled out his cellphone to check the time. "It's like 2 in the morning. We gotta be up for school in a few hours." He mumbled as he put his head down on the armrest of the couch and dozed off. How did Eddy always manage to fall asleep so fast? Edd picked up his cup and his friend's mug, and brought them into the kitchen to wash them. He couldn't help but stare out the window near his sink, taking in the beautiful night sky the best he could from a brightly lit kitchen. Finally, after finishing the dishes and putting another blanket on Eddy, Edd decided to go on a walk.

The crisp air felt beautiful on Edd's exposed flesh, his nose crinkling from the sudden change in temperature. As he walked along the sidewalks, he stared up at the sky. Out here, all alone, nobody's heat but his own, he couldn't help but feel so small. Every single textbook he ever read told him about how magnificent the world was, the universe was. When he thought about it, he was such an insignificant piece of the universe. All he lived for was to make money someday. What kind of life was that? To have a good job and be away from your children all the time? To never see your lover, or your friends? To exist on an entirely financial and business basis? Edd couldn't stand it. He looked down to the ground and kicked a rock as hard as he could, sending it flying into the road.

Edd heard a motorcyclist in the distance, but ignored it. Probably just some people heading to the bars. It wasn't until the noise was right near him and he heard a familiar ( but slurred) voice shout "Dweeb! Is that you!?" that Edd was brought out of his daze. Edd glanced at his watch. half past three. Why was kevin getting home so late? Kevin stepped off his bike, and wobbled his way over to Edd. "Hey there, want a ride?" Kevin managed, hiccuping. Edd just looked at the other with shock. "I'm abhorred that you would try to take someone else on a motorcycle with you while you are intoxicated! You ought to be ashamed of yourself! There's a gas station right down the street, go bring your bike there and leave it overnight. You'll kill yourself, or someone else, if you're driving drunk!" Edd shouted, biting his cheek. Kevin just stared for a moment, perplexed at what he was being asked to do. Edd sighed. "It's early, so nobody will see us walking. The sun doesn't come up for quite a while. Go park your bike at that gas station and we can walk back to the cul-de-sac together. I don't want you hurting anybody because you made a stupid and reckless decision."

Kevin nodded and drove his motorcycle (slowly, as to avoid more scolding from Edd) to the gas station and walked back to Edd.

Deciding to go on a walk tonight was a great choice, Edd decided, as he fell behind a bit to take Kevin in.


	7. Chapter 7 - To Be in a Stranger's House

**Oh my goodness, I am so sorry for being slow to update. I've had marching band all this last week and a family thing. then i'm gonna have marching band all next week too. I will try to update asap, but I make no guarantees until next weekend. I hope you enjoy this chapter! follow me on tumblr for updates.**

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It was a long walk, quiet, cold, but it felt so warm being next to someone else. Edd glanced to the red head, his eyes were unfocused and he was obviously drunk. The smell of alcohol wafted around him. Edd grimaced, before turning to Kevin. "How do you suppose you'll be able to function at school today? Don't you have football practice? You'll have a hangover for sure." Edd said, glancing down towards his feet. Alcohol was so inconvenient. Kevin just laughed. "I'll just play sick and have my dad call me in. He always does when I go out drinking anyway." Kevin scratched the back of his neck, and looked towards the other. "Why the hell are you up? You've always been in bed at like 7. It's weird to see you, uh.." Kevin lost his train of thought. Edd laughed, making eye contact with Kevin. Edd sighed.

"Hey, Kevin?" Edd asked, looking down to his feet. Kevin didn't have time to reply before Edd jumped in again. "Why are all of your teammates so cruel to me? You haven't been unkind to me for years. I don't understand what I ever did to any of them. Other people like me don't get bullied the same. Not even Eddy, and he intentionally picks fights!" Edd said, his voice raising a little bit. His eyes were glossy, tears beginning to come. No, he couldn't cry. He barely knew Kevin, he certainly couldn't trust him! Edd moved himself to face away, wiping the water from his eyes. A hand on his shoulder surprised him, and he swung back to face Kevin.

Almost like clockwork, as soon as the two locked eyes, Kevin jumped back from them and began to vomit, eventually having to sit down on the pavement to regain his composure. "It's okay, I'm okay." Kevin managed. Edd nodded, and started walking towards Kevin to help him up, when the redhead flopped down on the pavement. Edd poked at the other's side gently with his foot. When this prompted no response from Kevin, Edd couldn't help but turn his head. Kevin? He was just up a second ago! Oh no, this cannot be happening!

Kneeling down on the ground, Edd shook Kevin gently to try to wake him up. "He must have passed out. This is such a predicament! I can't possibly carry him. He's heavy!" Edd groaned, as he tried to lift the other male up. The cul-de-dac was only a few blocks from here. Struggling to carry the other, he eventually made it back to Kevin's house. Heavy breathing and sweat beads let Edd know just how out of shape he really was. He let Kevin down softly and took a few moments to regain his composure before ringing the doorbell. Edd could hear amazing grace chime through the door. What a pretty sound. It wasn't long before a man opened the door.

The man opened his mouth to speak, but the sight of his collapsed son on the ground stopped him from saying anything. He shook his head, and then made eye contact with Edd. "Aren't you that neighbor boy? The smart kid? The one with no parents?" Edd cringed. The man was blunt, and Edd found it rude, but he could understand why the rest of the neighborhood assumed he didn't have any parents. Obviously he had legal guardians, but seeing as they were never home, everyone just assumed. Parents would never be so distant, so Edd must have someone else taking care of him. "Anyway," the man continued. "I didn't think you would be one to go to the parties my boy does. Come on in, we'll chat." He gestured for Edd to come in, and reached down and pulled his son up. Kevin looked like his father, same strong jaw, same green eyes. They even had a similar body stature, from what Edd could tell.

Kevin's father put him down on the couch in the living room, before sitting himself down in an armchair. He was in a suit, probably dressed for work, and his hands were folded neatly on his lap. Edd stood awkwardly near the entrance of the room, not quite sure where to go. He had never been in this house before, and certainly didn't know the proper etiquette. The hair on the back of Edd's neck stood up when he heard a throaty chuckle from the large man. "You can sit down you know, there's like three chairs in the room." Kevin's father said, and Edd walked over to a chair and sat down on the edge, maintaining his perfect posture. The smile on the large man's face faded.

"I have to leave for work. Would you mind looking after him for the day?" Edd's eyes widened. "W-why, it's a school day! I could never..." Edd mumbled, before a large hand ruffled his hair. "You are a dweeb. I'll call you in. No harm done, just one day. I'll even pay you for it. Kevin needs someone like to to be a babysitter. He's too stupid to take care of himself." The man remarked. Edd couldn't help but look back at Kevin. How cruel to call your own son such harsh things. Sure, Edd's parents were absent from his life and rarely praised him, but at least they never spoke negatively of him. Shoulders slumped, he looked back to Kevin's father. " I suppose I could look after him. Have a productive day at work, sir." Edd remarked. The man left with a grin, Kevin's signature grin. It was astounding, really, how alike they were. They were both so harsh, and looked so very alike. It was hard to believe Kevin received any of his mother's genetics.

Kevin's mother. Now that Edd thought about it, he hadn't seen her. Perhaps she was at work? Shaking his head, he found the kitchen and got a glass of water. He couldn't help but wander around the house. He stopped at the fireplace in the den. It had pictured of Kevin, but not school pictures. Just sports pictures, and lots of them. There were framed family pictures on the wall, but Kevin's mother was never in them. She was easy to remember, short, plump, bright red hair like her son. She was always quite kind, and Edd's mother and her would often speak about their gardens together. He raised an eyebrow in confusion. If Edd had such vivid memories of her, then why was she not in any photos?

This was a question to ponder at a different time, Edd decided, before drinking the rest of his water. The house smelled nice, and was relatively orderly except for the occasional sock strewn about on the floor. Edd returned to the redhead, pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and laid it over Kevin. He was out cold. It was cute, really. His face was flushed, the red standing out on his pale skin. His face was covered in freckles, and they concentrated around his nose and cheeks. Edd could feel his heartbeat speed up. Kevin had always been good looking. Everybody thought so too, he was popular, all the girls adored him. All the guys adored him too, but in a different way.

Green eyes opened slowly, and Kevin rose to sit up. His head throbbed, his eyes stung. Why was he at home? All he remembered was leaving the party. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, before something caught his eye. A black hat with white stripes hung on the coat hanger by his front door. He could remember that hat from anywhere, and that could only mean one thing.

The **dork** was here.


	8. Chapter 8 - Let's be friends

**Sorry again for how long i'm taking to update! I've been all over minnesota with the band and friends recently and haven't had much time at home. Now that school is starting i'll have a reason to be on the computer, so i'll probably procrastinate and work on this instead! thanks for reading, and follow me on tumblr for fanart and story updates.**

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Kevin sat up slowly. His head throbbed, the sun was peeking up over the horizon and it stung at his eyes. Kevin pulled his hat off his head and dropped it onto the floor, and rubbed his forehead. Why would Edd be here? He got up from the couch sluggishly, and walked towards the kitchen. He could smell something, someone was cooking. He could hear it too, crackling. Kevin peeked his head into the kitchen to find Edd making breakfast. "Good morning, Kevin." Edd chirped, glancing over towards the entrance to the kitchen. "I poured you some orange juice and i'm making breakfast right now. You should go lay down. I'll bring it up when it's ready." Kevin just nodded and made the way to his bedroom. What the hell happened last night? Why is Edd making him breakfast? Oh god. Kevin ran his hands down his face. They couldn't have. Did Edd spend the night? Did they do anything? A bead of sweat dripped off his face, and he said goodbye to any chance of getting to sleep.

He wasn't gay. No way, no how. He knew Edd was, but Edd would never take advantage of someone in that way. Edd was too nice, too meek. Kevin wiggled his toes and fingers. He wasn't as out of it as he was the last time he went to a party. Just how drunk did he get last night? Honestly, he didn't remember anything after leaving the party. Kevin pulled his phone out of his pocket, and checked the texts. Drunk texts, and they were all.. to Edd? Kevin had even sent a picture of him and Nazz to Edd. How strange. Before Kevin knew it, Edd bursted into his room with breakfast on a tray and some juice. "Morning. Drink as much as you can, you're probably really dehydrated. Next time, try to alternate alcoholic beverages with water. It always made my hangovers better." Edd admitted, a bit of red forming across his face. Kevin glanced up at Edd, obviously embarrassed, and hesitantly took his food.

Edd, picking up on this, laughed. "No, we didn't do anything last night. I was out on an early morning stroll and we ran into each other. You wanted to give me a ride home, but you were so out of it, I had no idea how you made it to me alive. I had you park your motorcycle at a gas station and we walked back to the cul-de-sac. Well, actually, you passed out halfway back, and I had to carry you home. You're heavy." Edd smirked as he saw a wave of relief come over Kevin's face. "Oh god, I was so fucking worried. Is that why you're here? Did my dad make you stay?" Edd nodded his head. Kevin frowned, and couldn't help but be a little disappointed that Edd wasn't here on his own accord. "Heh, he made Nazz do that once. He's probably surprised that someone like you came here." Kevin chuckled. Edd raised a brow. "Whatever do you mean by "someone like me"?" Kevin huffed. "Nothing bad. Just that, I dunno. You're a little dorkier than my usual crowd, you know? I'm a jock, a top dog. You're.. you. There's nothing wrong with you, we're just not usually people that mingle."

Edd sighed. It was true. He was the bottom of the food chain and Kevin was the top, so to speak. Kevin was attractive, funny, athletic, and surprisingly academically capable. Kevin liked sports, and drinking, and had sex with lots of people, and lived life carefree. Edd was the opposite. Edd enjoyed the company of Ed and Eddy, and occasionally Nazz. Edd attended school religiously, liked academics and bugs and carefully planned everything he did. Very few times in his life had he ever acted spontaneously. He certainly did not party with strangers or have sex often. Kevin was an extrovert, while he himself was certainly introverted. They were too different to be friends, and Edd knew that. That was knowledge from his childhood, when the social hierarchy of life was first forming.

Before he knew it, Edd felt a hand gently on his shoulder. "Hey, dude, that doesn't matter to me. It was probably just surprising to my dad, you know? I mean, I haven't really hung out with any of the old cul-de-sac kids besides Nazz and Rolf since freshman year." Kevin laughed lightly. "It's nice to see at least one of you again. It brings back memories, you know? Like all those scams you Eds would pull. I gotta admit, some of them were pretty damn impressive." Edd felt the hand lift from his shoulder and he couldn't help but smile. It wasn't often that he was complimented. "I feel the same way. As ridiculous as our efforts were, sometimes it was worth it to see how much fun everyone had." He laughed, and the two couldn't stop the smiles that pulled at the corners of their lips. After a few moments of silence, Edd turned around quickly. "I should let you sleep. I'll be back to check on you in an hour or so." Edd said, before walking out of the room. Kevin glanced at the door sadly. It would have been nice to have someone with him. Kevin glanced down to the plate in front of him. Eggs and bacon, his favorite. He picked up a piece of bacon and grabbed for his phone, opening it up to see a bunch of texts from Nazz.

[ From NAZZ: Kevin, where are you? This class sucks without you…]

[ From NAZZ: Seriously? are you hungover? Maybe if you didn't drink so much at parties that wouldn't be a problem!]

[ From NAZZ: Okay, that class sucked. It's like, 10, why aren't you here? Double Dee isn't here either. What's up with that? He's never gone.]

[ From NAZZ: Neither of you are texting me! I'm so bored. Maybe i'll go throw up and go home. I'll come visit you or something. (: ]

Kevin chuckled. She was such a good friend, she had always been. She gave him this feeling, he was more comfortable with her than anyone else on the entire earth, but it was never romantic. Kevin downed the glass of orange juice, and scratched his head. He replied to her quickly.

[ To NAZZ: Hey, im up. Yer such a worrywort omg. And yeah, i no double dee is home from school cuz hes at my house…]

He finished his breakfast and laid down. Buzz. His phone vibrated, and it had to be Nazz.

[ From NAZZ: WHAT!? Whoa! I didn't know you two were friends.. haha]

Kevin chuckled. It wasn't really that way, but the more he talked to Edd the more he remembered how decent of a guy he was. Maybe they could be friends.

[ To NAZZ: haha its not rly like that. I passed out on the way home and good ol Double dee was there to help me i guess! tbh when i saw him here i thought we fucked something. I freaked out soooo bad]

Kevin had known that Nazz and Edd had been getting closer for a few years now. They were strange friends, although Kevin always supposed having a fashionable gay friend was a plus for a girl. Besides his signature hat, Edd was always incredibly well dressed. He had expensive clothing, and he always looked like a million bucks. Kevin stood up from bed. He had a guest here, even if he couldn't do much, he might as well hang out with Edd. Kevin walked into the living room and was surprised to see Edd passed out on the couch. Kevin laughed lightly. He grabbed a blanket and put it over Edd, and sat down in a chair near him. Turning the television on, Kevin leaned back, the smell of breakfast still lingering in the air.

Blue eyes opened to stare at the Redhead, a smile on his face. He snuggled into the blanket on him. Edd's movement prompted Kevin to look towards him. "I don't know if you're awake, but um, I kind of remember last night now. Thanks, really, I probably wouldn't have made it home safe. You're a good guy, to go out of your way to help an asshole like me. I know we don't talk often, but I know we're gonna be studying together more, and it would be nice if I could start calling you a friend." Kevin cleared his throat, and looked back towards the tv.

Edd stood still under the blanket. What? Kevin wanted to be friends? The top jock in the entire school, the highest of the social hierarchy, wanted to be friends with him? If it wasn't for the shock, Edd wouldn't be able to contain himself. This could mean more opportunities, it could mean protection from bullies, and most importantly, a new friend. As much as Edd wanted to leap up and scream "I would love that!" he couldn't bring himself to. His body stood still, his breaths remained calm and he couldn't muster up the courage to say anything. Once Edd was sure that Kevin had looked back to the television, he opened his eyes to admire the redhead before him. This rumbling in his stomach wasn't something he felt too often, and it was off putting. It made Edd smile to think that he had been in more relationships than Kevin had, however low that number was. As far as anybody knew, Kevin never had any interest in going steady with anyone. Even Nazz, who everyone considered to be Kevin's other half, couldn't capture the boy's heart.

Edd bit his lip. Just friends, is all they'd ever be. It made Edd happy a bit, to think that Nazz wouldn't be able to get Kevin. Although, If Kevin wouldn't love someone like Nazz, how could he love anyone else? They were perfect for one another. They spent as much time together as they could, and Edd certainly remembered those two having chemistry when they were younger. How could he turn down someone so close to him? It didn't just puzzle Edd, but everyone in the school. It was usually pretty common for the biggest jock to date the head cheerleader, wasn't it? Everyone knew they were sexual, and had been for years. It was hard to understand the mind of someone like Kevin. As easygoing as he seemed, Kevin had always been rather mysterious. That would be a fun challenge, Edd decided. Trying to get Kevin to open up to him.

Edd clenched his eyes when he heard the Kevin turn. With his long hair falling over his face, Edd was able to open his eyes slightly to see what Kevin was doing. Much to his surprise, Kevin was looking at him! The more Kevin watched him, the more rosy Edd's cheeks got. Edd was petrified. Why was Kevin watching him? Why was Edd so nervous? Quickly, Edd shot up from laying down. Never really one with a talent for acting, Edd mumbled up some words. "O-Oh, S-silly me, I fell asleep." The excuse was met with a warm smile from the redhead. It was a smile Edd hadn't seen… well, ever. Kevin always grinned. It was a nice change of pace. "You know, dweeb," Kevin sighed softly. "I don't really have anyone but Nazz come over here, and I'm alone a lot. I came down here to maybe hang out with someone, but you were asleep! It was the funniest thing, you sprawled out on a couch. I don't know what it was. It made me feel happy, you know? Someone's here, someone that's not those testosterone filled maniacs I hang out with all the time. You looked cold too. So, I put a blanket on you. I hope you don't mind. Um…" Calm, cool, collected Kevin wasn't so collected anymore. Kevin played with the remote control nervously, accidentally changing the channel from the baseball game he was watching to some sappy soap opera.

Edd laughed. "Thank you, very much. It's a wonderful gesture. What is a nap without a blanket, right?" Kevin, after scrambling to change the channel back, chuckled too. "You know, you're pretty cool. I wanted to ask you something." Kevin uttered, looking down towards his hands. Edd sat up straight, intrigued.

"You should come hang out with me more. I mean, if you want to. Let's uh, let bygones be bygones. Er. Oh, come on, what the fuck is wrong with me." He grumbled quietly, the last part aimed towards himself. Kevin shook his head. Dammit, why was this so freaking difficult? Eventually, Kevin stood up from his chair and flopped down on the couch next to Edd.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to be friends with you."


	9. Chapter 9 - It's okay, really

**So apparently, I don't have as much time as I thought I would have. I will try to update as absolutely often as I can, but i've been dealing with medical problems, and so much schoolwork. I have at least 5 extracurricular activities a week and so I don't have much free time. I write as often as I can. Thank you very much! Follow me on tumblr for updates. Hope you enjoy this chapter. It was a little rushed so I could just get something out to you all to make up for my 2 month hiatus. **

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Edd opened his eyes wide. Even though he had heard Kevin ask before, it was still such a shock to him. Someone like Kevin wanting to be friends with him, was almost too ridiculous to believe. Edd cleared his throat. "I'd love that, Kevin, but now is not the time to be friendly! You're obviously still sick and you really should lay down." Kevin grimaced, inching closer to Edd. "No, dork, it's not because i'm sick or anything. I'm really serious." Edd looked the other way, his face growing more red by the second. "If you are feeling fine, then I must not be needed here anymore. Um, I will contact you later, Kevin." He stuttered through his words. "I have to run to the college and retrieve my makeup work. My sincerest apologies." Edd said, quickly grabbing his hat off the coat rack and running out the door.

Edd wasn't one for athletics, but he ran as fast as he possibly could, all the way to the college. He was sweaty, the cool of fall chilling his sweat, causing him to shiver. Edd collapsed down onto the campus ground. He breathed deeply, bringing his hands to his head, clutching his hat and tearing it off. "Lord Almighty, why did I do that!?" he shouted, breathing a sigh of defeat. Tears pulled at his eyes and he held his hat over his face. That wasn't supposed to happen. It really was not supposed to happen. Edd's face was still bright red. Something about Kevin just made Edd's heart flutter. Edd pulled his hat back on and stood up, wiping the tears from his eyes as he entered the university building. It was too late to attend any of his classes and he figured he could just grab the material and run back home with it.

Edd peeked his head into the doors of one of his lecture halls. His professor's last class had just ended recently and Edd was able to catch him before he left. "Salutations, Mr. Smith! Something came up with my family and I was not able to make the lecture today." Edd said, walking down the stairs to where his professor sat at his desk. "Yes, I noticed. It's a shame you had to miss." the man chuckled. "Your eyes are absolutely puffy. Did you lose someone today?" He asked, showing genuine concern. Edd laughed. "Yeah, my dignity." The professor raised an eyebrow. "It's nothing. I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Smith. I apologize for missing class today. I'll be sure to never do it again." Edd finished, before taking off to the student lodge. Edd stopped at two other classes to collect his missing coursework, and finished his trip to the campus by stopping at the coffee shop. He bought a Cream cheese danish and some black coffee, and brought it outside to sit under a big oak tree.

He quickly ate his danish, and leaned back on the tree and closed his eyes. The big sweater he had on kept him nice and warm, and shielded him from the wind that sent the leaves flying off the trees. He watched the beautiful flurry of orange, yellow, and red for a good hour before he decided it was time to head home. When he finally got around to picking up his coffee, it was completely cold. Edd chuckled, before shrugging and drinking it anyway. He walked towards home, taking everything in, really enjoying the autumn day.

He got back to his house and walked inside quickly, pulling his shoes off at the door and exchanging them for his bunny slippers. He walked up to his room, dropped his materials off on his desk and pulled his sweater off to reveal his bare, scarred torso. He walked over to his open window and leaned out, the chill giving him goosebumps. He pulled himself back into the house and closed the window, before stripping down the rest of the way and grabbing a towel to bring into the bathroom. It was a stressful day, and a warm shower would feel magnificent right now. Edd walked into his bathroom, and huffed when he was met with a plethora of yellow sticky notes covering his mirror. Since middle school, Edd had always had mixed feelings about mirrors. They were there to be able to make sure your clothes were on right, and that your hair is styled correctly. They were also there to remind him of how skinny he was, how scarred up and bruised he was. Edd reached for a sticky note, taking it between two fingers at the corner. It was his father's handwriting, which was strange. " Did you play the piano this weekend? The cover was unlatched. Make sure to latch it next time. - Father"

Just more directions. Big surprise. How long Edd had waited for an affectionate not from one of his parents, or a simple "I love you, have a day to relax." It had been so long since Edd had had any encouragement from them. He turned the water on and let it ran, opting for a bath instead. Edd grabbed for his phone, and gulped down hard when he saw all the texts from Kevin. It was a weird feeling, a mixture of happiness and worry.

[ From KEVIN: Hey dude uh sorry if i scared u or something. srsly I dont want you to be upset…]

[ From KEVIN: im really sorry. /: ugh i'm hungover and depressed and this sucks.]

[ From KEVIN: I um, ill shut up now. Text me back or something. or not. whatevers cool.]

Edd sighed. Why had he run out like that? How would he be able to face Kevin again?

[ To KEVIN: My apologies. I'm not good with pressure. I'm not upset, it just threw me off a tad. I appreciate your concern.]

Kevin replied quicker than ever before.

[ From KEVIN: Oh thank god. i was seriously worried D:]

Edd couldn't help but smile. The fact that Kevin was concerned about him just made him happy. Edd put his phone down on the counter and hopped into the bathtub. Edd, being as tall as he was, always found bathtubs were often too small. His parents were wealthy, and made sure the bathtub in his bathroom was large. Edd grabbed his phone off the counter and messaged Kevin.

[ To KEVIN: Might I inquire something?]

[ From KEVIN: um i dont really kno what that means but sure (: ]

[ To KEVIN: Well, I was wondering why you'd want to be friends with me. You wouldn't give me the time of day before. You really caught me off guard today, Kevin.]

[ From KEVIN: Well, u have been a good friend 2 me! like, u stopped me from driving home last nite. And u were there for me today. youve been a better friend than any of my actual friends are (: ]

Edd couldn't help but blush. This situation was so fantastic. Not only did Edd gain a new friend from this, but he could proceed further with Nazz's plan and help her get the information she wanted. Edd quickly finished washing himself, and stepped out of the tub. Wrapping his towel around his waist, he grabbed his phone and walked out into his room. He opened his window up and leaned his torso out, the cold air feeling fantastic on his freshly washed skin. Edd allowed his mind to trail off. He had been so very rude today, running out on Kevin like that. Edd knew how much his two best friends did for him, he couldn't help but feel like he wanted to be there for Kevin. Edd pulled himself back into the room, and texted Kevin as he walked to his dresser.

[ To KEVIN: I'm really really sorry about earlier. Honestly, I would love to be friends with you.]

Edd jumped when his phone chimed. One would think he'd have been used to Kevin's quick responses by now. Edd huffed as he pulled his pajama pants on, as well as a long sleeved grey shirt.

[ From KEVIN: no prob, i no we dont exactly have the friendliest past. & thts great. im happy 2 hear that (: ]

[ To KEVIN: Kevin? I have a question.]

[ From KEVIN: Go ahead, ask anything. O: ]

Edd ran down to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of tea. He sat down on the couch, making sure to brush it off before he sat, and pulled his hair up into a ponytail. Edd pulled his phone out of his pocked and huffed. He loved the convenience of texting, but he hated how long it took. This had been an amazing conversation but it took so long! Edd contemplated what he should do, say, and before long, he found himself dialing Kevin's number. He put the phone up to his ear and gulped. It was only a few rings before a familiar, husky voice picked up on the other end.

"Um, Dork? Hello?" Kevin asked, confusion in his voice.  
"S-salutations, Kevin. I was w-wondering, to make up for the rude way I acted today, would you maybe, um, come over? I can make food for you and stuff. My treat." Edd said, his voice soft. Kevin chuckled. What was this? The person that ran away from him earlier that day now wanted him to come over. Never before had he grinned this wide, Kevin decided.

"Sure, i'll come over, if you promise to make dessert. Like, cake or somethin'."

Edd laughed. "Can do."


End file.
